


Misconceptions

by AA (hester4418)



Series: With a Little Help [5]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-03-30 02:34:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3919624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hester4418/pseuds/AA
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Misunderstandings and a lack of clear communication never bode well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Misconceptions

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: Please see Hester's story "Healing" (first part of the 'With a Little Help' Series) for further information on the genesis of this series.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Star Trek: Voyager and all its characters belong to Paramount Pictures; no infringement of copyright is intended. This story however belongs to A.A.
> 
> Originally written as two separate parts December 1999 and April 2000; edited for spelling and formatting (and two changed words) October 2012.
> 
> Episode references: Unforgettable, Counterpoint

Commander Chakotay was pacing through his quarters, feeling restless.

That morning, when he had passed the captain's ready room on his way to the bridge, he had overheard Commander Tuvok talking to her: "You were flirting."

Although eavesdropping wasn't normally his style, he had come to a stop in front of the closed doors to hear Tuvok continue: "More so than would be considered appropriate for the captain of a Federation starship and her first officer."

He hadn't heard Kathryn's response – maybe she hadn't even responded – but he had heard enough: He knew that, without Tuvok's approval, she would _never_ pursue a 'real' relationship with him.

He shouldn't have kissed her, that evening in his quarters, but he just hadn't been able to stop himself: she had looked so... fragile... It had seemed like she needed it.

Actually, that was exactly what she had told him, right then. Right now, however, he felt like he had taken advantage of the situation, and of her.

What seemed like... eons... ago, he had promised her that, for him, her needs would come first – and he intended to _keep_ that promise, no matter what.

In the last few weeks, their flirting had become... 'worse'... than it had ever been - he had to admit to himself that Tuvok had had a point, there. Nevertheless, he silently cursed the Vulcan for having given Kathryn a hard time about it, not in the least because he felt it had ruined their chances of finally becoming more than 'just' friends.

-==/\==-

After his conversation with Lieutenant Paris, Commander Tuvok had been thinking long and hard about how he could make his captain and friend see that living in emotional... exile... for over four years would be hard, even for a _Vulcan_ female – and, moreover, that neglecting her own needs, in that respect, would ultimately affect the well-being of her crew.

He still didn't think it was appropriate for the captain and the commander to flirt in public – especially not on the bridge, like they had been doing, lately – but what they did in private was a different matter, considering the circumstances.

Tuvok sighed. (Not that he would have admitted it, of course: he would have stated that he was simply exhaling.)

He had promised Tom Paris that he would 'not arouse suspicion by said individuals'. However, the more he thought about it, the more he became convinced that a plotting and scheming Vulcan would arouse nothing _but_ suspicion.

He would have to handle this in the same way he always handled things: as straight-forward as possible. This meant that he would have to talk to Commander Chakotay, if he intended to keep his promise to Lieutenant Paris.

-==/\==-

In the meantime, Chakotay had come to the conclusion that he would spare himself the humiliation of being turned down, yet again – besides, he knew how much Kathryn would hate herself for it. Nevertheless, she would do it because she would think she had no choice, having been reminded by Tuvok that she was a Starfleet captain and that she should act accordingly.

 _Damn_ that Vulcan...

At precisely that moment, his door signal chimed.

"Come in." His voice sounded quite annoyed, even to his own ears.

The doors opened, revealing... Tuvok...

"Good evening, Commander – I would like a few moments of your time to discuss a... personal... matter."

Chakotay didn't say anything in response but gestured Tuvok to sit down. He, himself, kept standing, partly turned away from the Vulcan.

Tuvok sat down and continued: "It's about the captain and... yourself..."

At that, Chakotay slowly turned around to frontally face Tuvok and glared at him, icily. "If you have come to lecture me about our recent behavior on the bridge, you can save both _your_ time and mine: it won't happen again."

Before Tuvok had had the opportunity to point out that that was _not_ the reason he had come, the first officer had added: "Dismissed."

Being a well-trained Starfleet officer, Commander Tuvok simply stood and left. The matter at hand would have to wait.

-==/\==-

Curled up on the couch with a mug of coffee in her hands, Kathryn Janeway smiled to herself. Tomorrow, they would reach a small, uninhabited M-class planet in orbit of twin sun-like stars which, according to some merchants they had met, was quite paradisiacal – the only reason it was still uninhabited was its remarkable distance from their home worlds.

She smiled to herself, once again: she was fairly convinced Chakotay wouldn't mind being... abducted... to a place like that.

If she only knew what was about to happen in the quarters next door...

-==/\==-

When Tuvok had left, Chakotay had smashed his half-empty dinner plate against the wall.

Just after he had finished picking up the pieces, his door signal chimed again.

"Yes."

He realized he felt pretty exhausted.

The doors opened and Lieutenant Johnsson entered his quarters. Seeing the fragments in his hands, she hesitated. "If this is a bad time..."

Chakotay shook his head. "No – please, sit down, while I get rid of these." He nodded at the remainders of his dinner plate in his hands. Then, he walked over to the replicator and put them in the recycling compartment.

When Commander Chakotay came back into his living room, he smiled at Lieutenant Johnsson. "Now, what can I do for you, Anna?"

She just looked at him, somewhat concerned. "I don't mean to pry but..." She was trying to find the right words. "Honestly, I think I should ask what _I_ can do for _you_..." A hint of a smile appeared on Anna Johnsson's face. "...considering the fact that your dinner ended up against the wall..."

Chakotay looked at the stains on the wall which he hadn't even seen, before. His expression saddened. "Look, Anna, I don't want to bother you with my personal problems..."

She snorted. "I'm the counselor, remember? Moreover, I'm your friend..." Anna stood up from her chair. "What you need..." She walked over to the replicator. "With your permission..."

He nodded at her, his lips starting to curve into a smile.

"Computer, one glass of real brandy, authorization JOHNSSON-2-18-1-14-4-25." She grinned at him. "The trick my friend taught me..."

"Make that two glasses of real brandy, Computer." Chakotay had walked up behind her and put his arms around her to take the glasses of brandy from the replicator.

After she had turned around, he handed her one. "You know, I should put you on report for this."

"I know..." She glanced at him slyly. "...but you won't..."

He emptied his glass in one go and put it down. "That would depend..." Stepping closer to her, he whispered into her ear: "...on the... bribe... you're offering..."

Anna Johnsson froze. This was something she had _never_ expected to happen – and, for a moment, she didn't know what to do. She realized Chakotay was about to kiss her and she didn't want him to. Well, she _did_ – but _not_ just for him to be able to forget about someone else, for a short period of time...

She put both her hands on his chest, warding him off. With effort, she looked him in the eye. "You know as well as I do that kissing _me_ , right now, won't solve anything."

Avoiding her eyes, Chakotay stepped away from her and sighed. "You're right, of course - I'm sorry..." He started pacing through his quarters. More to himself than to her, he continued: "I just seem to screw up _everything_ , these days..."

Anna walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "If you want to talk, you'll know where to find me, right?"

He nodded at her. "I will." Then, his mouth turned into a slight smile. "Thank you, Anna."

She just smiled back at him, in return, and left.

-==/\==-

"Captain Janeway to the bridge." Tuvok's voice coming in over the comm system shook Kathryn Janeway out of her reverie.

"On my way, Tuvok – Janeway out."

A few minutes later, she stepped onto the bridge. "Report."

"Captain, we're being hailed by a Ramura 'Tracer' – she claims there's a... stowaway... on board _Voyager_."

-==/\==-

Commander Chakotay was sitting on the couch in his quarters, reading a hand-written personal log. He recognized it as his own but, nevertheless, didn't remember writing it.

"...and her soft, full lips touched my own..."

He didn't have _any_ memories of himself kissing and, in the end, even making love to this beautiful, blond woman named Kellin, as he had described in his personal log.

Chakotay wasn't the only one being confused: most of the _Voyager_ crew seemed to have... gaps... in their memories...

-==/\==-

On the bridge, Captain Janeway was lost in thoughts.

Yes, something _had_ changed between her and Chakotay, in the last few weeks (or, maybe, even months...) – but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Then, all of a sudden, Harry Kim spoke: "We're being hailed, Captain, audio only."

She stood up from her chair and started to speak. "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship..."

Before she had even finished her sentence, a reply came in. "You have entered Devore space. Prepare to be boarded."

-==/ End of "Misconceptions" \==-


End file.
